Automatic band-cutter and self-feeder.



No. 679,725. Patented Aug. 6, I90l. J. N. cous.

AUTOMATIC BAND BUTTER AND'SELF FEEDER.

(Application fil ed Nov. 17, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

. N I wmv Wmw o I mum Q I, W 16 0. mm w F, W m c Patented Aug. 6, [90L.1. N. COLE. AUTOMATIC BAND CUTTER AND SELF FEEDER.

(AppIic ation filed Nov. 17, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

nu.- mums Pznns co. PHOTO-um?" wwmu-mu. b. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN N. COLE, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO W. W.'KELLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC BAND-CUTTER AND SELF-FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,725, dated August6, 1901.

Application filed November 17, 1899. Serial No- 737,270. (No model.)

of the UnitedStates, residing at Des Moines,

in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Automatic Band-Cutters and Self- Feeders, ofwhich the following is a specification.

One object of this invention is to provide means for feeding athreshing-machine and cutting the bands of the sheaves, in two separateand independent devices, each of which is capable of movementindependently of the other and in a horizontal plane through an areextending from a point at right angles to the thresher to a point inalinement with the thresher and each of which is also capable ofindependent movement in a vertical plane to thereby promote convenienceand save time in feeding the threshing-machine, inasmuch as theband-cutters and self-feeders may be moved to positions where thesheaves may be placed therein with the greatest convenience-that is tosay, a thresher'remains stationary, while the operator moves either oneor both of the band-cutters and feeders into proper position withrelation to the stack of grain, and as the stack is lowered by feedingfrom its top the feeders are also lowered until their outer endsrestupon the groundsurface and they may be moved in a horizontal plane.

A further object is to provide a machine of this class that will feedthe grain with the greatest possible degree of regularity and uniformityand which will be of simple, strong, durable, and inexpensiveconstruction.

-My invention consists in certain details in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a top or plan of the forward end of athresher with both of my band-cutting and feeding devices connectedtherewith and geared together as in practical use. Fig. 2 shows theforward end of a thresher in side elevationhaving one of my improvedband-cutters and self-feeders attached thereder.

feeder, which is driven by sprocket-gearing connected with theband-cutter and feeder that is geared direct to the thresher. Fig. 5shows the side elevation of one of the bandcutters and self-feedersdisconnected from the thresher. Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal section ofone of the band-cutter and selffeeder frames with the conveyers therein.Fig. 7 shows a detail sectional view illustrating the band-cutting knifeand its connection with the side of the band-cutter and feeder frame.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 have used thereference-numeral 10 to indicate the portion shown of thethreshing-machine, and 11 indicates the shaft of the threshing-cylinder,having thereon a pulley 12, by which it is driven, and also a worm-gear13. On the side of the threshing-machine below the shaft 11 is a shaft14, rotatably mounted in the bearings 15 and having a worm-gear l6thereon to mesh with the gear 13 on the shaft 11, so that the shaft 14is constantly rotated during the operation of the threshing-cylin- Onthe end of the shaft 14 which pro jects beyond the machine is a beveledgearwheel 17, having an extended hub 18, which is round on its exteriorsurface and square on its interior to receive the squared end of theshaft 14, thus providing a non-rotatable connection between the shaftand gear-wheel.

The reference numeral 19 indicates a bracket having its one end providedwith an opening through which the shaft 14 passes and having at itsother end a cylindrical opening 20, designed to receive the cylindricalhub 18 of the gear-wheel 17. This hub 18 rotates freely within the part20, and obviously the bracket 19 is supported upon the end of the shaft14.

The reference-numeral 21 indicates a rectangular metal frame having thebracket 22 secured to its lower edge, which bracket is designed to restupon the bracket 19 and be capable of turning in a horizontal planethereupon. A vertical shaft 23 is supported in the frame 21 and bracket22 and is provided with a bevel gear-wheel 24 on its lower end to meshwith the bevel gear-wheel 17. It is also provided with a sprocket 25directly above the wheel 24 and with a bevel gear-wheel 26 on the topsurface of the bracket 22. This beveled gear-wheel 26 is arranged with alike wheel 27 and fixed to a shaft 28, which shaft is rotatablysupported in suitable brackets secured to the frame 21. The frame 21 isnormally held in an upright position by means of a rod (indicated by thenumeral 29) and pivotally connected with the top of the frame 21, alsopivotally connected withthe threshing-machine. This permits the frame 21to swing freely in a horizontal plane, but pre-.

I have connected the frame of the bandcutter and feeder with the frame21, as follows: The numeral 30 is used to indicate a shaft having itsbearings near the lower end of the frame 21, and on this shaft is asprocket-wheel 31, geared toa sprocket-wheel 32 on the end of the shaft28 by means of the sprocket-chain 33. On this shaft 30 I have pivotallymounted the frame 34 of the band-cutter and feeder. substantiallyrectangular in cross-section and is of such a size as to be capable ofswinging vertically in the frame 21 to a sufiicient degree to providefor the ordinary adjustment of the band-cutter and feeder frame inavertical plane. At the opposite end of the band-cutter and feeder framethe top is removed for a short distance and the sides are inclineddownwardly toward the bottom and outwardly-flared boards 35 provided forconvenience in placing sheaves in the band-cutter and feeder. A shaft 36is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings beneath the forward end of theband-cutter and feeder frame 34, and on this shaft are mounted twosprocket-wheels 37, over which the chains 38 of the endless conveyor arepassed.

'These chains also pass over the sprocketwheels 39 on the shaft 30, thusproviding an endless conveyor, a portion of which passes over the bottomof the frame 34 in a direction toward the threshing-cylinder and returnsbeneath the bottom of the frame 34. I have also provided a conveyor topass toward the threshing-machine directly under the top of the frame34, so that sheaves of straw placed in the frame 34 will be impelled byconveyors both above and below toward the threshing-cylinder. This upperconveyor This frame 34 is comprisestwo shafts 40 and 41, mounted beneaththe top of the frame 34 and each having sprocket-wheels 42 thereon, overwhich the endless conveyor 43 passes. The said shaft 40 is driven bymeans of a sprocketwheel 44 on the shaft 36 and a sprocketwheel 45 on ashaft 46, supported in suitable hearings on top of the frame 34.Asprocketchain 47 connects the wheels 44 and 45 and passes over asprocket-wheel 48 on the shaft 40. On the under surface of the frame 34,near the outer end thereof, is aframe 49, designed to protect the lowerconveyor, so that the frame 49 may rest upon a stack of grain or uponthe ground-surface without interrupting the operation of the machine.

The construction and operation of the remaining band-cutter and feederare identical with that of the one just described except as to themanner of imparting motion to its shaft corresponding to the shaft 23,and hence I shall only describe the portion of the other band-cutter andfeeder corresponding to the bracket 19 and connected parts. In

Fig. 4 I have illustrated a bracket (indicated by the numeral 50) havingan opening therein designed to receive a shaft 23, and the other end ofthe bracket is designed to be bolted to a portion of the thresher-frame.On the lower end of this shaft 23*, which corresponds to the shaft 23,is a sprocket-wheel 51, which sprocket wheel is geared to thesprocketwheel 25 by means of the chain 52. By this means it is obviousthat the mechanism in both of the band-cutters and feeders will beoperated simultaneously from the threshingcylinder.

I have provided the following means for cutting the bands of the sheavespassing through the frame 34: The numeral 53 indicates a knife bolted tothe side of the frame 34 and twisted at right angles at 54 and having aserrated sharp edge at 55. This knife is preferably made ofspring-steel, so that the portion thereof between the bend 54 and thepart that is bolted to the frame may readily yield and permit the knifeto swing inwardly toward the side of the frame to which it is bolted.The interior of the frame 34 is only large enough to freely admit thelargest sheaf of grain, and obviously every sheaf which passes throughthe frame 34 will be engaged by said knife and its band out.

I have also provided means whereby the outer end portion of each of theframes 34 may be raised and lowered independently and supported in suchposition as follows: On the side of the thresher is a drum 56, havingattached thereto a crank 57. A rope or cable 58 is wound upon this drum,then passed upwardly over a pulley 59 in the upright 60, and from thencethe cable passes to the rear end of the frame 34, to which it isattached, and obviously a manipulation of the crank 57 will raise orlower the frame 34, and one of these hoisting'devices is provided foreach of the conveyor-frames 34.

IIO

I have also provided means for spreading and advancing the grain as itis deposited upon the platform of the thresher leading to cylinder asfollows: The numeral 61 is used to indicate a shaft mounted in suitablebearings on the thresher-frame and extending transversely thereof. Onone of its ends .is a worm-gear 62, meshed with a mating Wormgear 63 onthe shaft 14, and fixed to the shaft 61 is a series of curved arms 64,upon which arms the grain is discharged from the conveyers, and by themthe grain is carried to the threshing-cylinder. The curvature of thearms obviously provides means whereby the grain may readily disengagefrom the arms when it has reached the cylinder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

In a machine of the class described, a shaft mounted upon the frame of athresher and geared to the shaft of the threshing-cylinder, said shaftbeing arranged at the side of the thresher and extending longitudinallythereof, a pair of band-cutters and feeders pivotally mounted upon thethresher and operative in both vertical and horizontal planes, saidband-cutters and feeders being geared to operate in unison with thefirst-mentioned shaft, and a grain-spreader arranged transversely of thethresher and between the cylinder and the band-cutters and feeders, saidspreader being geared to said first-mentioned shaft to operate in unisontherewith.

JOHN N. COLE.

Witnesses:

J. RALPH ORWIG. THOMAS G. ORWIG.-

